Report: Cory Joseph is returning to the Pacers

Kevin Pritchard and Nate McMillan talk about the Pacers two days after a game seven loss to Cleveland in the NBA's first round, Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. (Robert Scheer/IndyStar)
(Robert Scheer/IndyStar)

Offensively, Cory Joseph did not produce to the level of starting point Darren Collison. His defense, though, was key for the Pacers at points this year.(Photo: Nick Turchiaro, Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports)

Free agency is almost two months away for the Pacers, but the picture quickly began to clear up Wednesday after Cory Joseph reportedly picked up his team option to stay for the 2018-19 season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Joseph, who will make $7,945,000, could’ve opted out of final year of his contract to become a free agent. He also could’ve opted out to renegotiate a longer deal but instead will be an unrestricted free agent in 2019.

This other big-ticket item for the Pacers is Thaddeus Young who has a $14 million player option. A person with knowledge of his situation told IndyStar.com earlier in the week that the forward hasn’t made a decision yet.

These two will determine what path the Pacers take with the current roster as well as their priorities entering July.

“In his exit meeting he said he’d like to be here,” president Kevin Pritchard said Tuesday about Young. “So did Cory.”

Joseph averaged 7.9 points, 3.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds in his first season in Indiana. He played in all 82 games for the first time in his seven-year career.

Joseph is a backup guard who can run the offense or play off the ball, the type of combo player the Pacers value.

Young isn’t a shooter but more of a traditional power forward on offense but with versatility defensively because he defend in the post or 3-point shooting bigs or even switch onto more athletic players.

“Those are the two guys where really the decision-making starts if those two guys opt in. I never believe in negotiating now but we like those guys,” Pritchard said. “We’d like to have them back. They’re core to what we do.”